Method of molding



Aug. 4, 1953 E. C. QUEAR Em 2,647,283

METHOD OF MOLDING Original Filed Dec. lSr i947 Patented Aug. 4, 1953 j .-Eugene'QQuear and' Willard C. S1 1aw,`.Anderson,l .n I l i and James R. Edwards, Middletown, Ind., as-

'signers to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, 'Mich., a corporation of Delaware originalapplicationecember 13,1947, serial'NQ. 791,520. Divided.4 and this application April 6,

. 195o, serial No. 154,341

ing applications of C. A. Nichol-s et al., Serial No;v

692,274, filed August 22, 1946, now Patent No. 2,523,137, and Serial No. 774,592, illecl'Septem--v ber 17, 1947, now Patent` No. 2,531,524, disclose apparatuses for preheating comminuted molding material yand dropping it into the open kinjection cylinder ofaheated lowermold whose` mold cavi:

-ties are connected by runners with thecfylinderl'y Immediately -afterch'arging it, the lower mold is moved under a heated upper. mold which iscaused to descend upon it with pressure and a rarri'or` piston in the injection cylinder is caused to as-f.'

cendto force theqpreheatedmaterial into the cavities provided by the engaging molds; and .the material: is cured under. pressure and heatderived from the molds. The equipment disclosed int these applications hasproved to` be satisface tory in molding relatively small parts, for exam# ple, the molded parts'of electric vswitchesused on automobiles. j lAn object of -the invention is to improve .the method stated above in order to v facilitate the molding of, relatively large articles such asig nition distributor caps and ignition coil case .cov-l ers. It has Vbeen discovered that the moldingof relatively large articles as well as smaller ones' can be facilitated if the preheated,loose,'coin'f minutecl moldv material is briquetted 4v'vhilehot before being placed whilehot in the mold injec; tion cylinder. 'I he reasons for this are no t en tirely known but it is ybelieved that compressing the preheated material tends to equalize'thetem'f'. perature of the. mass of material and tends'fto expel from ,the ma-ss vapors of volatile matter which each preheated particle gives 01T. ,What' ever the reasons may be, when the hoty briquette of preheated material is compressed in the injection cylinder of the lower mold, it readily lls the mold cavities'completely.

vTherefore the invention embraces ,lafmethod of preparing material for molding whichieomprises heatingy comminuted thermosetting m'a; terial to a temperature at which chemicalreac tion isinitiated and briquetting the heatedmaterial While still hot .anda method of .molding comprising the steps of preparing'the material and the additional steps 'of placing Vthe hot briquette in the compression chamber of aheat-a4 .ed mold, causing engagement, under pressure," of said heated mold with a companion heated niold 15 claims. 101.18455);

and compressing thehotmaterial insaidljcolpressionchamber tocause itto '110W into cavities' provided by the two molds while tJhe moldsfare engaged under pressure which is maintainedi'o a time suiiicient to curey the material in thefinold cavities. ;f,.. Further objects and advantages ofthefpre'sent invention will Ybe apparent'from the following description, reference being had to'theiacci'f panying drawings, wherein apreferred{unbedinment of the present invention is clearly shqwn.- In the drawings: f

Fig. 1 is a diagram of apparatus for performing the methods of the present invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 show different operations of parts of the briquettingapparatus included in Fig-1jr] Fig. 4 is a diagram vof th'e'molds ofa olding'j press.

4.Referring to Fig. l, a 'hopper'v I U contains a quantity of molding powder'l'l 'which g`rav'itate s' through an elongatedopening inthe-bottom Aci' the hopper and is received` between'a :fixed 'plate I2 and an adjustable plate vvI lifrorn which the powder gravtates upon a knurled rollerfl4fwhich is rotatedclockwise at a certain'speedbyan electric motor, not shown. B'y adjustmentlofmember I3 the thicknessof the layer of'molding'niav -terial deposited onf roller I4 can be 'adjustedl Rotation of roller I4 causes the powder to b e dei .posited in a layer' I5'upon a heated rol l :r' l 6,V which rotates clockwise. `The temperature of' the rollerfIG and its speed of rotation are such'that the molding material is heated to a temperature such as to initiate the chemical reaction 'fh'icfh is completedinthe molding press. 'Y1- f The heating of the material ofA layer AI-'i causes its particles tobecome sticky'and'to tend to cling together" and te the relier. lTins,niaterii'fis scraped from the roller IBby scraper Il; andfit descendsthrough a funnel I 8 upon a rami Q slid able within a cylinder 20 supported by apl'ate 2 I. Ram I9 is actuated by rod 22 connected with a piston 23 in a cylinder 24 supported by a.l base 25. The quantity of material` required Iorf'a molding operation isdetermined by )adjustment of member I3'and the duration Ofrotation oi' roller I4. Rotation of roller' I4 is .stopped when a predetermined `quantity of :material hasbeen deposited upon the ram I9. Then 'a plate 26 vis caused to move to theposition 26' (Fig.'"2) to close the upper` end of the cylinder 20. lTheplat'e 26 is guided fol-'this movement by rails' 2l having 'overhanging flanges 21a which ac ngagefA side flanges 26a of platen, thusretaining lplate 2 5 in engagement with the' platea l. Marthe-piste 2l is moved to the position 26', pressure fluid is admitted to the lower end of cylinder 24 to cause the ram I3 to rise to compress the heated material into a briquette or pill B. While upward pressnreon. the ram I9 momentarily relieved, theplate 26e i'si;1noved to normal position as shown in Fig. 3 in order to provide ejection of the pill by upward movement of the ram I 9 as.

shown in Fig. 3. This movement places the pill lat B' so that it can be removed by arr opremi-.tir--v who places it promptly in a molding press..

" molding powder, briquetting said predetermined .rqiiarittyilof said hot molding powder into a selfsustaining briquet without cooling the powder Ihe molding press comprises fallowernmldfxill-*f' and an upper mold 3l havinstmoldingavitres 32 and 33, respectively, and recesses 34and35', respectively, for receiving heating elements. Mold 30 has a compression cylindersconnectedby: runners 31 to mold cavities Cylinder-ffrek ceives a ram 38 upon which the pill, while still 'apprecia'.l;ally";Vr thenmolding the briquet under pressureingtne rnnld of the desired shape and siz'e..l and simultaneously heating the powder therein to a temperature in excess of the irreuersiblev reaction` temperature; and finally ejectingtjthe-nnished article from the mold.

hot, is placed, as shown at B" (Fig. 4) asduiclsly' as possible after ejection of the position at B. AThearnold',titl, Vis caused'. to descendinto posi.-

.M' upon.` the. .mold .3!1 'against ,which it is maintaincdv-withspressure. and' the ram. 38j' is caused'to move. up,4 .as indica.ted...liy arrow 35 to compress thepillatBff tocause.. its material to flowfthrough the runners 3T into the mold spaces p ewledbythe. mold cavities 32 and 33.' The material in..the.cau/ities.I cured. under heat and pressure;a and, after .curing been completed, thenmld'3t-.ia-causedto rise andithe rain 38` is caussdto descend and. the. molded. articles are re-` movedfrom the press.

Thiswprocess resultsnot only inv reduction oi curing timeY but also in. completely filling the meld cavities .since the. amount. of. .volatile vapor whiclnmight be..-pres.ent .inthe ,material which wasrinjected. intnthe. mold 'cavities is practically negligible. V

- While-the: embodiment of the present inten tiom.;-asy hei:ein.=.dislelosedm constitutes a 'preferred is, toy beunderstoodjthat other forms might.b.e.adop.ted, all oomingwithin. the scope of claims whiclnfollow; v Whatisclaimedis' as .iollowsr 1;.In..the.=methodfor.making a plastic article o.-.a..deiinedfshape from a. thermosetting mold.- ing,.powdeii the. steps, comprising; continuously spreading afthin layer offmolding powder upon a.'mo,ving,..surface heated to.v a temperature ap.- pxioachng init less. than the. irreversiblereaction temperature. ofgthe, powder .heating ,the powder bmconduction .by maintaining the powder relatively Vstationary twith respect .to said surface and irxicontinuousand, direct contact therewith until the powder attainsthe..temperature. of the sur.- facci.continnou-sly-y removing. hot powder from said... surface; periodically briquetting a prede.- terminedquantity ofsaid hot powderinto a `selfsusteinmg briquet. without permitnngtne powder tozcoeli appreciably, then. compressing the. briquet inahot moldjntoan article of the desired' shape mdsiae'at.. atemperature. sufficient to cause the irreversible. reaction to: occur, and nally ej ecting the.. formed article..

mina method .for makingplastic articles in deilned'shape's from. thermoset'tingr molding powdeinthesteps comprising; providing .a revolving drumW-havinga,horizontalaxis and a relatively smszlotlrfexternal surface thereon, maintaining the external surface of said.. drum atja temperatureapproachingbut lessthan the irreversible maritiem-'temperature of the moldingpowder.;

continuously spreading. a substantially uniform of molding powder on the external sur,- iceaoisaididrurm adjacent' the top thereof; heatj '3:5 Inf'ar method 'for making plastic articles in deincd shapes from thermosetting molding powder, the steps comprising; providing a revolving drum lgiavingv a horizontal axis and relatively smooth external surface thereon, maintaining the external surface oi -said drumatl a temperate ture approaching but less than the irreversible reaction temperature of'the molding powder; continuouslyV spreading. a, substantially. uniform thin layerof molding powder on, the surfacerof said drum; heating .said moldihg,powder .by ,Conf duction while incontinuous. and direct contact with, the surface of said drum overab-out. 1'80"of a rotational turn 'thereof to. a temperature .approaching but less than the, irreversible reaction temperature. of vthe'molding powder A continuous. ly scrapingqthe hot moldingpowd'er olithe sur.-V face of said drum, briquetting predetermined quantitiesgof said' hotmolding powder each. bef ingv suiiicient to make a plurality oi articles, placing lthe briquet ina-a transferpress, transferringthe hot" briquetted molding powder from: the lpress-under pressure into-'a plurality of cavities of Lthe'desired shape and'size while-simultaneous ly heating the compressed powder in said 'cavities to a-temperature'suici'ent to cause an irreversible-reaction'. totakeplace;A and finallyy ejecting Y the finished; molded-*articles from thecaviti'es.

4. In the method for making a self-sustaining plastic "article fromV a thermosetting molding powder, the' steps 'n comprising; continuousl-yl applying athin layer ofI moldingl powder upon a moving' surface heated to-atemperature appraching but less 'than the lirreversible--reactiorr term perature'of the powder; heating lthe powder by conductionl by maintaining the powder relatively stationary with respect to said-surface and-*in continuous and direct contact therewith until the powder attains the temperature of the sur face; continuously-removing powder fi'omsaid surface;` Yand then4 briquetting a predetermined quantity of saidhot Vpowder into a selfesustairring briquet without appreciably permitting the powder to cool.

5; In a method for making plastic articles from thermosetting molding powder, the steps comprising; feeding a substantially uniform thin layer of molding powder from-a hopperontozthe external surfaceof a rotating drum heated toa temperature approximating the irreversibler reaction temperature ofithe molding powder, -carf rying, the relatively thin, layerA of molding pow der onk saidy surfacevthrough'agpcrticn only ci a complete turn of rotation of said drum wherein the speed-ofr the drum is soregulated that'th'e period of contact of Vthe-nloldin'g` powder lwith-tire surface oi the.. drum. is suiiicient for heating the molding powderto atemperature substantially the same as the drum temperature, scraping the heated molding powder off the surface of said drum at the time that the molding powder attans the desired temperature, and then immediately briquetting predetermined portions of said hot molding powder before it has cooled into articles of the desired shape n an hot die.

EUGENE C. QUE'AR. WILLARD C. SHAW. JAMES R.. EDWARDS.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Summereld Apr. 15, 1941 Stenberg Jan. 19, 1943 Gregory, Jr. Oct. 16, 1945 Wacker July 15, 1947 Jesionowski Nov. 2, 1948 MaoMillin July 26, 1949 Alden Aug. 30, 1949 

